Cup sleeve

ABSTRACT

In one preferred embodiment, the invention is a cup holder sleeve comprising a quadrilateral planar sheet, defining a top and bottom concave edge parallel to each other, and a first and second edge at opposite ends of the sheet. The sheet is preferably air-laid non-woven cellulose, making it lightweight, biodegradable, heat transfer resistant, and cost-effective to transport.

FIELD

This invention relates to sleeves, and more specifically, sleeves forholding hot beverage cups.

BACKGROUND

Take-out hot beverage or drink service (like tea and coffee) ispresently popular in North America. In providing customers with a hotdrinks-to-go, service outlets typically provide their hot drinks in hardpaper (cardboard-like) cups. These cups are rigid, and can hold hotdrinks without soaking-through, but in turn permit significant heattransfer. It is difficult for customers to hold heated cups.

A present solution for dealing with hot cups has been to provide acardboard sleeve shaped to receive a cup therein. These cardboardsleeves act to dampen heat transfer by providing an extra heat absorbinglayer between the cup and a hand. Another solution is for serviceoutlets to provide two cups, one nested in the other. Both of thesesolutions are problematic.

The former is heavy, slowly biodegradable, costly to transport andstore, poorly absorbent, expensive to manufacture, reduces hard papercup recycling quality, and customers have no incentive to remove thesleeve from the cup for separate disposal. The latter is expensive,slowly biodegradable, and requires carrying a double-sized cupinventory, which also increases transportation, inventory, and storagecost.

What is needed is a sleeve that will insulate a user's hands from heatof a cup, the sleeve being readily recyclable.

SUMMARY

The present invention is, in one preferred embodiment, a cup holdersleeve comprising a quadrilateral planar sheet. The sheet defines a topand bottom concave edge parallel to each other, and a first and secondedge at opposite ends of the sheet.

In one embodiment, a cup holder sleeve is disclosed including aquadrilateral planar sheet having a top and bottom edge parallel to eachother and having a first and second edge at opposite ends of said sheet.

In another embodiment, a cup holder sleeve is disclosed including aquadrilateral planar sheet having a top and bottom edge parallel to eachother and having a first and second edge at opposite ends of saidquadrilateral planar sheet. The sheet is made from a non-woven, air laidcellulose.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention can be best understood by those having ordinary skill inthe art by reference to the following detailed description whenconsidered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cup bearing a sleeve.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a pre-assembled sleeve.

FIG. 2A is a cross-section along the line A-A, showing a non-wovensleeve.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a cup and a sleeve.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made in detail to the presently preferredembodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in theaccompanying drawings. Throughout the following detailed description,the same reference numerals refer to the same elements in all figures.

The sleeve 10 for holding a rigid cup 20 is shown in the FIGS. 1, 2, 2Aand 3. The sleeve 10, when unfolded, is a quadrilateral planar sheet.The sheet defines a top 30 and bottom 40 concave edge parallel to eachother, and a first 50 and second 60 edge at opposite ends of the sheet.

In some embodiments, the sleeve 10 is made of non-woven cellulose.Non-woven cellulose, relative to cardboard, is light, biodegradable,cheap to transport and store, cheap to manufacture, and does not requireseparate disposal from its cup 20. The non-woven cellulose is preferablyair-laid, to a density of about 100 grams per meter squared (g/m2).Other densities are anticipated so long as the density does notsignificantly prevent biodegradation or rigidity. For example, in someembodiments and under certain circumstances, the density is varied by asmuch as ±10% (ten percent). In another example, in some embodiments andunder certain circumstances, the density is varied by +50% (fiftypercent). For marketability reasons, it is preferred, though notrequired, that a manufacturer limit variability to only ±5% (fivepercent). In some embodiments, polyolefins are added to improve desiredcharacteristics, such as stretchability.

In some embodiments, the sleeve 10 thickness is about 2 millimeters(mm). At that thickness, the non-woven cellulose sleeve 10 remainsflexible enough to easily wrap a rigid paper cup 20, maintain heatinsulating properties, and maintain biodegradability. As with density,various thicknesses are anticipated as long as the thickness does notaffected does not significantly prevent biodegradation or rigidity. Forexample, in some embodiments, the thickness is varied by as much as ±15%(15 percent) while maintaining desired functionality. In anotherexample, the thickness of the sleeve 10 has an upper limit of about 4 mmor more.

In some embodiments, the sleeve 10 has a logo to advertise any selectedbrand 70/80.

The first 50 and second 60 edges correspond to each other, and are fusedtogether (to form a bond 90). In one embodiment, the first 50 and second60 edges are ultrasonically fused, to minimize interference withbiodegradability, although glue or other substance is also anticipatedfor the bond 90.

Equivalent elements can be substituted for the ones set forth above suchthat they perform in substantially the same manner in substantially thesame way for achieving substantially the same result.

It is believed that the system and method as described and many of itsattendant advantages will be understood by the foregoing description. Itis also believed that it will be apparent that various changes may bemade in the form, construction and arrangement of the components thereofwithout departing from the scope and spirit of the invention or withoutsacrificing all of its material advantages. The form herein beforedescribed being merely exemplary and explanatory embodiment thereof. Itis the intention of the following claims to encompass and include suchchanges.

What is claimed is:
 1. A cup holder sleeve comprising: a quadrilateralplanar sheet defining a top and bottom edge parallel to each other, anda first and second edge at opposite ends of said quadrilateral planarsheet.
 2. The cup holder sleeve in claim 1 wherein the quadrilateralplanar sheet is comprised of non-woven cellulose.
 3. The cup holdersleeve in claim 1 wherein the quadrilateral planar sheet is air laid. 4.The cup holder sleeve in claim 1 wherein the quadrilateral planar sheetis air laid at one hundred grams per meter squared.
 5. The cup holdersleeve in claim 1 wherein the first and second edges each define acorresponding surface for fusing.
 6. The cup holder sleeve in claim 5wherein the first edge surface is fused to the second edge surface, toconform to and grip a cup to be passed through said cup holder sleeve.7. The cup holder sleeve in claim 6 wherein the first edge surface isultrasonically fused to the second edge surface to form a bond.
 8. Thecup holder sleeve in claim 1 wherein the quadrilateral planar sheet isfurther comprised of polyolefins to improve stretchability.
 9. The cupholder sleeve in claim 1 wherein the sleeve bears a logo thereon, toadvertise at least one select brand.
 10. The cup holder sleeve in claim1 wherein the quadrilateral planar sheet is two millimeters inthickness.
 11. The cup holder sleeve in claim 1 wherein thequadrilateral planar sheet is approximately two millimeters inthickness.
 12. The cup holder sleeve in claim 1 wherein the top andbottom edge are concave.
 13. A cup holder sleeve comprising: aquadrilateral planar sheet comprising a top and bottom edge parallel toeach other, and a first and second edge at opposite ends of saidquadrilateral planar sheet, the quadrilateral planar sheet comprising anon-woven, air laid cellulose.
 14. The cup holder sleeve in claim 13wherein the quadrilateral planar sheet is air laid at one hundred gramsper meter squared.
 15. The cup holder sleeve in claim 13 wherein thefirst and second edges are fused together.
 16. The cup holder sleeve inclaim 15 wherein the first edge surface is fused to the second edgesurface, such that the sleeve conforms to a cup to be passed throughsaid cup holder sleeve.
 17. The cup holder sleeve in claim 15 whereinthe first edge surface is ultrasonically fused to the second edgesurface.
 18. The cup holder sleeve in claim 13 wherein the sheet furthercomprised polyolefins to improve stretchability.
 19. The cup holdersleeve in claim 13 wherein the sheet is air laid at about one hundredgrams per meter squared.
 20. A cup holder sleeve comprising: aquadrilateral planar sheet comprising a top and bottom edge parallel toeach other, and a first and second edge at opposite ends of saidquadrilateral planar sheet, the quadrilateral planar sheet comprising anon-woven, air laid cellulose, the first and second edges are fusedtogether such that the quadrilateral planar sheet conforms to a cup tobe passed through the cup holder sleeve; wherein the quadrilateralplanar sheet is air laid at one hundred grams per meter squared.